Green puts threats in context

22 October 2012 02:54

Rangers chief executive Charles Green has apologised to fans for revealing he received death threats in his early days at Ibrox.

In a newspaper interview, Green revealed he was forced to change his address week to week and was "physically intimidated on the streets of Glasgow".

However, he later released a statement apologising to supporters for any "upset" the article caused.

Green, who now lives in a flat in the west end of Glasgow, told the Scottish Sun:

"I got death threats. There were lots of threats. I have had visits from Strathclyde Police who were treating the threats seriously.

"They explained how the staff should look for strange packages and how I should make checks myself, including my car."

Green was detailing the response to his consortium's £5.5million purchase of the assets and business of , when the club was consigned to liquidation in June. Most fans then mistrusted Green's motives and urged him to sell on to other groups put together by former manager Walter Smith and former player John Brown. Green later put out a statement on the club's official website saying he had given the interview to show how far his relationship with fans had moved on - many of whom had initially cancelled season ticket renewals in the summer.

Green said in the statement:

"In remarks attributed to me in today's Scottish Sun I was trying to get across how far we have travelled together since the dark days of the club being put into administration and subsequent liquidation of the old company.

"No words can express the gratitude I feel towards Rangers fans at the way they have stood by the club in one of its darkest hours.

"They have risen to the challenge of helping rebuild this great institution and have won widespread admiration across the world for their backing of Rangers.

"Not a day goes by without foreign TV stations or journalists telling me how amazed they are by the response of fans as they continue to back the club in huge numbers.

"The reality is there were a few occasions in the very early days where I was clearly not the flavour of the month among some sections of the fanbase and I was subject to taunts and abuse.

"However, that was short-lived and the fans are now behind me and the board and we have all moved on together.

"I just want to make it clear that I believe Rangers fans are the best in the world and that is my heart felt position.

"I appreciate the article in today's Sun has upset some supporters and for that I am truly sorry.

"As I stated, I was merely trying to illustrate how far we have all come together."